Interlude
by shadowycat
Summary: Once upon a time, in a lovely garden, a lonely werewolf met an elegant lady....
1. In the Garden

Disclaimer: All the people found within sprang into being from the imagination of J. K. Rowling. Sadly, they belong to her, not me.

Interlude 

**by shadowycat**

**Chapter One: In the Garden**

Remus Lupin left the castle after delivering his package to the office of its Headmaster and decided to take a walk through the gardens before heading back to the hot stuffiness of the summer city. Hogwarts was always a special place to him, but he'd come to love it even more since he'd been forced to leave it. The package that he'd had to deliver could certainly have come by owl, but any chance that he had to sneak back and enjoy a few more minutes within the solitude of its walls or in the beauty of its landscape was like finding money under the davenport…an extra bonus with so many unexpected possibilities attached.

Summer was an especially lovely time here. When he was a student, he never had the pleasure of wandering around the sprawling grounds and gardens of the stately old structure during the warmth of the true growing season. It was only after he became an adult and began to come and go on the Headmaster's whim as a member of the Order that he got a chance to experience this side of Hogwarts.

Set amongst the majesty of the surrounding scenery, there were a series of walled gardens that brimmed with secret life. Long cool cloisters of aged stone covered with ivy and scented with the heady fragrance of old roses and the serene buzzing of fat bumblebees as they went about their life spreading their own form of magic within the growing world. If he had the time, sometimes he'd sneak up here with a book and steal a few hours amidst the beauty and serenity of this place. It truly was a haven from the cold uncertainty and bleak fear that made up so much of the rest of his often lonely days.

As he rounded a corner of the castle and stepped out of one of the cloisters into the seclusion of his very favorite rose garden, he heard the totally unexpected sound of girlish laughter. He paused and scanned the flowerbeds and immaculate squares of lawn in front of him. No one was in sight, yet he was certain that he'd heard a sweet voice laughing with enjoyment about something. Were there students still here for some reason?

When the sound came again, he realized that whoever was laughing wasn't a child at all. The sound had a lilt of maturity to it that he'd never heard from the throat of a child for all that it was light and carefree. For a moment he indulged in the fantasy that the garden was secretly populated with fairies and sprites from the Muggle tales that his mother had often read to him as a boy. Perhaps the heady blossoms that sagged under the weight of time and moved sluggishly in the faint breeze were actually full of the tiny magical creatures who were all excited to see that a foolish mortal had wandered into their midst.

He smiled to himself at the silly notion. Still there was definitely a magic to this place beyond that practiced within its walls, and it always set his mind to exploring the oddest thoughts when he dwelt here for any length of time. As the sound of definite giggling returned, he realized that it was coming from behind a particularly large and well laden rosebush in the far corner up against the castle wall.

Curious to see who was so enjoying being hidden away behind the shrubbery, Remus crept quietly across the soft grass and parted the bushes carefully to peer into the dim retreat. The sight that met his eyes was absolutely the last thing that he ever expected to see. There on the soft earth of the garden bed lay Minerva McGonagall and crawling all over her as she smiled and laughed were six small and energetic bundles of fluff.

Remus gasped rather loudly in shock, and the woman on the ground started at the sound meeting his surprised eyes with her own that still danced with recent merriment.

"Oh my goodness…" she exclaimed as she tried to sit up without totally dislodging the tiny kittens who had made her the current center of their world.

Remus stepped around the bushes and knelt down next to her as she sat up and began picking small bundles of cat out of her hair and off of her shoulders. The kittens themselves seemed totally unfazed by her abrupt change of position simply digging fine sharp needles into their perches to remain wherever they were with ease.

Minerva smiled in a face tinged rather rosy with embarrassment as she tried to pull a particularly reluctant ball of black fur out of her hair. "Remus…how unexpected to see you," she laughed as the kitten in her hands mewed piteously at being dislodged and scrambled against her bosom in an attempt to find a new position on its favorite perch.

Remus laughed at the sight of the usually so meticulously turned out Minerva totally disheveled and covered in cat hair. "I was just taking a little walk and heard all this playing going on, so I just had to take a look. I'm sorry if I startled you. Are…are all these yours?" he asked with a smile.

Her face reddened even more at the comment. "Mine?"

"Yes…oh, I mean…is the mother yours…" He blushed too as he realized the slight tactlessness of asking that question of a woman who can become a cat at will.

They both burst into embarrassed laughter at the same time defusing the slight awkwardness of the moment.

"No. Actually the mother is a stray, I think. The castle does seem to attract a lot of them since there are so many cats around here during the school terms. I just happened upon the litter a few days ago while taking a walk myself, and I've been keeping an eye on them. They were simply in the mood to try exploring today, and the thing that they seemed to want to explore the most was me. I decided to indulge them, since I thought I was alone." She shot him a mock chiding glance seeming for a moment the much more prim and proper woman he was used to.

He sat back on his heels and tried to look abashed. "Ah, sorry. I must have missed the 'do not disturb' sign."

That lovely smile crossed her face again. "Well, perhaps I forgot to put it out this morning. I do get rather forgetful sometimes."

While they were talking, the boldest of the kittens a gray male and his equally bold sister decked out in stripes began to climb up on the new arrival. Their little claws finding purchase wherever they wished heedless of the sensitive skin that lurked beneath the handy cloth.

"Ow," exclaimed Remus softly as he hurriedly readjusted the female who'd climbed directly into his lap and was attempting to scale the wall of his chest.

Minerva sighed thoughtfully as she watched the kittens testing out the suitability of this new climbing opportunity. "Since I become a cat myself, it never seemed right to try to "own" one, but I do love the new litters of kittens. So much energy and life. It's a pleasure to realize that no matter how dire things can sometimes seem…life goes on and nature renews itself. It gives me hope, I guess."

Remus smiled in understanding, trying not to dislodge the kitten who'd now made it all the way up his chest and was perched somewhat precariously on his shoulder while tasting his ear to see if it would make a good snack. The tiny tongue and miniscule teeth tickled more than anything else, and he found himself chuckling and cuddling the kitten against his neck protectively.

"I know. With all the painful things that are going on in the world right now, it's reassuring to see something so carefree and innocent. It makes me want to protect them from all the evil out there…but you can't," he said with a sigh, his thoughts drifting down bitter roads.

Saddened by this turn in the conversation, she rubbed her face against the soft down of the little black, who was still determinedly lavishing interest on her. "No," she whispered softly, thinking about the other young ones in her charge as well and the perils that they all faced everyday. "You can't protect them all."

Minerva's smile returned as she watched Remus juggle the kittens carefully while more of them turned their interest to climbing on the newcomer.

"You're very good with little ones, Remus," she noted quietly. "Have you ever given any thought to having some of your own?"

"What? Kittens?" He laughed.

"No, children." She smiled in return. "I worry about you sometimes. You've lost so much, and you always seem so alone. I think having a family would do wonders for you."

A sober expression crossed Remus' face, and he pulled the gray out of his hair and cuddled him against his chest, keeping his eyes firmly fixed on the wiggling ball of fur. "I don't know. It never seemed very fair to inflict the life of a werewolf on a wife and kids. The time has never seemed right either. Something horrible is always lurking right around the corner. So much death…so much pain… This would be an awfully dangerous world to bring children into. I just can't see it…not now, but yeah, I suppose that I would like to have a family. I just don't see it happening for me."

Regretful at bringing up a painful subject, Minerva reached across the short space that separated them and squeezed his arm reassuringly. "I'm sorry, that was too personal a question, wasn't it."

Raising his eyes from the squirming kitten, he smiled back at her. "No, of course not. In fact, I could ask the same of you. You obviously love little ones…no matter the species. Why didn't you ever have a family of your own?"

"Oh, it just never worked out that way, I suppose." She reached out a slightly dirty hand to caress the kitten that was now gnawing determinedly on Remus' finger, plucking it easily out of his hand as he jumped in reaction to the sharp teeth and setting it down on the ground to watch it scamper away chasing a nearby tail under a bush. She sighed slightly and turned her gaze back to the one leveled so thoughtfully at her. "Life's path isn't always as straight and clear as it seems when you're young. There are always new obstacles to face and new challenges to tempt you down side roads, and before you know it…the road ahead looks very different than it once did."

Impulsively Remus reached out and pressed a gentle hand to her dirt grimed cheek holding her face softly for a moment as they exchanged a smile of wistful understanding. Somehow here in this secluded spot with their hair mussed by the kittens and dirt and grass staining their clothing, the usual barriers of time and position didn't seem quite so high or half so wide. A silence full of meaning descended upon them for a few moments, then they both pulled back simultaneously refusing to dare too much.

As the kittens had all found other occupations by now, Minerva got to her feet and began to brush the dirt from her clothes. "My goodness, I look a fright. Though what else should I expect when I go and roll around in the dirt, I suppose." Her eyes sparkled mischievously.

Remus laughed and got to his own feet. "I imagine that I don't look too much better myself."

Together they stepped out into the sunshine of late afternoon in the garden and spent a moment trying to straighten themselves out. A few brisk sweeps of stiff fingers managed to loosen and dislodge most of the dry specks of earth and the rest was easily whisked away with a handy spell. Then they stood and smiled at each other for a moment before turning and strolling slowly along the garden path towards the nearby cloister.

"So where are you off to now, Remus?" Minerva asked quietly as she smoothed her hair back into its usual place.

He sighed. "Nowhere in particular. I guess I'll head back to Grimmauld Place and open a tin of something or other for dinner. The house does get awfully quiet in the evenings now that Sirius is gone. I usually try to spend as little time there as possible actually."

She nodded in sympathy. "Yes. The castle is very quiet at the moment, too. I'm only here for a few days between places that I need to be, but it always seems so lonely when all the students are away."

The air suddenly seemed heavy with waiting as they came to the end of the cloistered walk and the moment to go their separate ways was at hand.

"Well, I guess I should go then…" Remus stated firmly, yet his feet never moved onto the softness of the lawn that he'd need to cross to be on his way.

A smile crossed her lips once more as she noted his hesitance to leave, as it matched her own to have him go. "Listen, if you're free…would you like to stay and have dinner here with me? As far as I know, I'm alone here at the moment…other than Filch of course, and he's always so determined to keep himself to himself. I haven't spoken to anyone but the house elves for days, and I really would appreciate having the company."

His eyes warmed her with their sparkle as he smiled back and nodded his head in agreement. "Thank you. I think I'd really like that."

"Excellent," she murmured softly as she reached out to take his arm in hers and lead him back down the walk towards a side door and an evening of unexpected possibilities.


	2. In the Castle

Chapter Two: In the Castle 

As they entered the castle together, Remus shivered slightly at the abrupt change from warm sunshine to much cooler shadow. They paused momentarily to readjust their eyes to the dimness, and Minerva dropped her arm away from his as if that touch, so comforting in the expanse of the outdoors, was perhaps too intimate within the closer confines of the rough gray stone.

Without a word they moved off down the long cool corridor heading deeper into the castle proper. This wasn't a part of the building that Remus was overly familiar with so he simply matched his steps to Minerva's and they moved along in time to the staccato beat of her heels. The stately witch made one or two turns in the confusing warren of back passageways and ended up at the foot of a narrow winding staircase.

She turned to her companion with a smile. "This would be the most direct route to my rooms. Would it be all right if we ate there? I always find the Great Hall to be far too intimidating a place to be comfortable eating there unless there are a lot more people to fill it up with."

Remus returned her smile and spoke in a slightly lowered tone. Something about the hushed feeling of this place made him reluctant to raise his voice too loudly. "That's fine with me. I think I'd have to agree with you. The Great Hall is designed for banquets and masses of people, hardly the best venue for an intimate dinner for two."

Roses caressed her cheeks again in the dimness, and she turned away and began to climb up the stairs with a murmured, "Yes, I'm glad you agree."

With a rather pregnant silence as their companion, they climbed up and up for some time, passing from brightness to shadow through the pools of colored light that spilled from the diamond paned windows that lit their ascent. Finally, Minerva paused and stepped off the staircase to head down a corridor filled with the usual muttered rustlings of paintings and the creaking of ancient armour.

At the next junction, she paused and turned to Remus with a hesitant smile. "It's still a bit early for dinner, Remus, and I'd really like to freshen up some after spending all that time under the bushes with the kittens. Although I think I removed most of the dirt, I imagine that I have enough extra fur on me to build myself another cat."

He chuckled warmly at that. "I wouldn't be at all surprised if the same wasn't true for me."

"Exactly." With a nod of satisfaction, she lifted a hand and pointed down the cross corridor to a stout looking wooden door at its end. "That's one of the visitor's bathrooms. The password is "Be Our Guest"." A faint smile flittered across her features as she glanced back at him. "I thought while I was trying to remove the cat hair from my person, you might like to do the same. The house elves would be more than willing to clean and press your garments while you bathed, I'm sure. Just use the usual summoning charm and one will appear. When you've finished, my rooms are right down the next corridor near the base of Gryffindor Tower."

With a warm smile, he nodded appreciatively. "That sounds great, I guess I'll see you in a half an hour or so then."

"I'll look forward to it," she said softly. Then with a brief smile of her own, she turned and walked off down the corridor heading for her own rooms.

Remus stood there and watched her go with a thoughtful look on his face. He'd known Minerva McGonagall practically his whole life, but he realized that he'd seldom if ever really looked at her. As he watched the sweep of her skirts move elegantly off down the hall, it occurred to him that he'd certainly never taken the time to notice how beautifully she moved, so graceful and smooth, very much like the animal she could become in the blink of an eye. He'd never noticed the sweetness of her smile or the warm sparkle of her eyes or the lovely highlights that appeared in her hair in the sunlight either.

With a slightly bemused smile and a shrug of his shoulders, he moved off down his own corridor thinking that this could end up being a very interesting evening.

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Minerva smoothed the last errant strand of dark hair into place and regarded her reflection in the antique pier glass with a solemn expression. Her deep blue gown with the square neckline looked odd to her. It fit perfectly well, but she was so used to seeing herself in nothing but robes and sensible nightgowns that the image that looked back at her seemed somehow alien. A very long time had passed since she'd dressed up, even to this very small extent.

She frowned slightly and ran a hand along the neckline of the dress, fingering the small silver brooch on her bosom and wondering suddenly if she shouldn't simply turn right around and change back into one of the more concealing robes that she normally wore. Then she straightened up and lifted her chin a notch, dismissing the notion with finality.

This was the first evening that she'd spent with anyone, male or female, for strictly personal pleasure in more months than she could even remember. Why shouldn't she wear something a little different? This particular gown hadn't seen the light of day in over two years. It was high time that she got some wear out of it.

Nodding to herself, and dismissing the idea of changing, she walked out into her sitting room and crossed to the French doors that led out onto her balcony. Opening them with a twist of her wrist and a firm push, she walked outside and leaned casually against the railing to admire the lovely view of the countryside spread out below her like a velvet carpet in shades of green and brown. It had been a remarkably beautiful day. Picture perfect. Idly she wondered if the evening would end up being as remarkable.

When a knock sounded on the door behind her, she smiled to herself, smoothed her gown once in a slightly self-conscious gesture and walked briskly across the room to open the door for her guest.

Remus stood there smiling at her looking extremely fresh scrubbed with his tousled hair still a bit damp from the bath. Something turned over deep within the pit of her stomach as she looked at him. An almost irresistible urge to reach out and run her fingers through the strands of his hair was squelched firmly by the sudden dawning realization that at the moment…in this light…he looked almost exactly as she'd first seen him…an excited and rather timid boy of eleven years of age.

Suddenly feeling extremely foolish and awkward, she smiled a wavering smile and invited him in.

Remus looked around the room with interest. He'd been in here once or twice before, during his fondly remembered tenure as a professor at the school, and the room didn't seem to have changed much. A comfortable couch sat in front of the lovely white marble fireplace draped with a tartan throw, which was probably quite comforting on cold winter nights. The wall to his right was filled with floor to ceiling bookcases flanked by a few comfortable easy chairs and a couple of small occasional tables. The shelves themselves were filled with well worn books and knickknacks as well as an assortment of pictures filled with the happy faces of people whom he didn't know.

A roll top desk with an accompanying chair graced the far wall next to open French doors that allowed access to a beautiful balcony with a stunning view of the valley below. To the left against the wall was a table elegantly set for two and next to it was an open door that gave a tempting glimpse of a bedroom beyond.

With a pleased smile, he turned to his hostess, who he noticed, looked quite stunning herself in a deep blue gown that clearly revealed that Minerva had been hiding a rather amazing figure behind those all-enveloping robes that they all wore as a matter of course when they taught here at Hogwarts.

His smile deepened as his eyes swept appreciatively down over her figure. "Thank you for having me to dinner, Minerva. I really wasn't looking forward to spending another evening alone at all."

She nodded in agreement, determinedly trying to dismiss her sudden feeling of awkwardness in his presence. "You're welcome, Remus. It's a pleasure to have you here for me as well. As I said, the castle can be very lonely in the summertime."

"That's a lovely gown you're wearing. I wish I could've changed for dinner as well, but alas I'm afraid I had to make do with my rather shabby robes. I feel as if the lovely Queen is having to settle for having the stable boy to dinner when she was probably hoping for a handsome courtier." He grinned a little sheepishly and ran an embarrassed hand through his hair.

Minerva's face flushed rather severely at the thought that she might've inadvertently embarrassed him by changing her gown. The thought had never occurred to her that he might feel awkward that he couldn't do the same. "Oh, Remus, I'm sorry. I never meant to embarrass you. I just thought that this gown would be more comfortable to wear. I can change…" She began to turn away from him and move towards the bedroom, but he reached out and grasped her gently by the arm and turned her back to face him.

"No. Please, don't change. You look lovely." His frankly admiring eyes sparkled into hers sincerely. "I only meant that I wish I could do you the honor of dressing up for you as you did for me."

"Oh," she colored sharply again. How foolish. She couldn't remember the last time she'd blushed this frequently. Certainly not since she was a girl. That was probably the last time that a man had reduced her to this awkward uncertain feeling, too. Trying to take better control of the situation once more, Minerva straightened up and moved away from her guest. "Would you like a glass of wine while we wait for dinner to be served?" she asked politely.

"Certainly. That sounds great." He answered with a smile and followed her over to her desk, which currently held a couple of bottles of wine in ceramic containers to keep in the chill.

Soon both of them clutched crystal goblets filled with liquid, and they moved together out onto the balcony to gaze with appreciative eyes on the landscape below. The true joy of a northern summer day was in the expanded hours of daylight. Though it was now almost seven o'clock in the evening, the sun still graced the sky well above the distant hills, and it would be several more hours before darkness would spread itself across the landscape quieting the bright and cheerful sounds of daytime and bringing with it the deeper and richer sounds of night.

Remus sighed with contentment as he sipped from his glass and gazed out at the lovely view. Then he set his glass carefully on the railing, planted his elbows on the stone and lacing his fingers together, he dropped his chin onto them as he let his hungry eyes roam where they wished over the beauty laid out before him. "It's so absolutely breathtaking here. I forget how much I miss it when I'm away. The city is hot and crowded and so full of hard edges and enclosed places. I always feel so stifled and hemmed in when I'm there. I think there's a part of me that's only happy when I have lots of greenery at my fingertips and open spaces where I can roam at will."

She nodded in understanding and leaned against the railing next to him with a sigh of contentment. "I know. I feel the same way. There are very few places that I've ever been that can compare with this for sheer loveliness."

They stood in companionable silence for a few moments and simply enjoyed the view. After a time Remus realized that the view that he was admiring the most had changed. Minerva's gown had become a rather striking blue in the glow of the late day sun, much brighter and more dazzling than it appeared indoors, and the slanting light threw her figure into tantalizing relief far more pleasurable to look at than the green hills that she was currently admiring. His gaze moved upwards along the slender curve of her throat and noted that the highlights in her glossy hair, that had gleamed blue and silver earlier, were now tinged with gold as well, begging him to reach out and slide his fingers along the shimmering strands and capture them for closer examination.

Realizing that his hand had begun to reach out all on its own accord, he abruptly cleared his throat and forced it back to smooth down his own locks once again. Then he asked politely, "Do you have any particular plans for the rest of the summer? You said you were between engagements when we were in the garden."

She nodded and turned towards him, the sparkling sunlight glinting brightly off of her spectacles brought a twinkling to her face, hiding her eyes behind its brilliance.

"Yes, I'm presenting a paper at an academic conference in Edinburgh next week. I was hoping they'd hold the conference somewhere more exotic, but apparently the budget wouldn't stretch to foreign lands at the moment." Disappointment tinged her voice slightly, and she took another sip from her glass.

"I've never been to a meeting of that sort. What's it like? Teaching classes was sometimes intimidating enough. How do you manage to stand up in front of all your colleagues, who already know so much about the field, and find something new to talk about?" Remus asked.

Another smile crossed her face, and she turned around to lean casually back against the stone railing while she spoke. "Well, I certainly wish that all the talks were about something new, but most of them seem to be covering ground that we've all been over many times…though if I'm lucky it will get dressed up a bit differently. The meeting can actually be quite interesting if anyone does have something new to say, but most years it ends up being the same people presenting much the same information to the same audience as they always do."

"Why go then?"

She sighed. "It's expected, and I guess I always hope for the odd meeting where something new and exciting does actually get discussed. That can make up for quite a lot of boredom at other times."

Remus too turned his back on the view and leaned against the railing as well, his shoulder brushing gently against hers. "So it's all lectures and shop talk then. Doesn't sound overly exciting, I must admit."

"Well, there's usually a banquet with excellent food, and sometimes there's a big party at the end with a lot of people standing around and watching a few uninhibited souls dance around a large room. I usually skip that part of things," she said with a small shrug.

He nodded in agreement. "Ah, dancing. I don't blame you; I'd either skip out on that myself, or be one of those toe-tapping wallflowers who watched from afar. I'm afraid I never learned to dance."

Minerva laughed softly once again, and he smiled to hear it. "Oh, dancing isn't one of my favorite things to do, but it's not difficult. I'm surprised you never learned, Remus."

"Perhaps you could teach me?" he asked with an eager note in his tone.

Before she was forced to come up with an answer to that, a house elf appeared in the doorway and bowed low as he informed them that their dinner was now ready any time they wished to come in and eat it. Thinking that for once the house elves had perfect timing, Minerva thanked the elf and turned to Remus with a smile. "Shall we?"

He nodded in agreement, and the two of them went in to dinner.


	3. In My Lady's Chamber

**Chapter Three: In My Lady's Chamber**

Dinner was everything that could be expected of a meal at Hogwarts, lavish, filling and excellent. They lingered over the various courses having more wine and letting their conversation wander where it wished, as they simply enjoyed spending time in each other's company.

Once the final course was consumed, and the coffee cups emptied, Remus stood up and extended a hand to Minerva. With a puzzled look on her face she allowed herself to be pulled to her feet.

Remus answered her unspoken question with a grin. "Don't you remember? You promised to teach me how to dance."

Though she allowed him to pull her away from the table and slip an arm around her waist, she frowned at him and said, "I did no such thing."

The werewolf placed a hand in the middle of her back and took her hand in his before pausing and looking expectant. "Really? That's not the way I remember it."

Raising an eyebrow, she stared back at him primly and stated in a dry tone, "Well, it's hard to know which is more faulty then, your hearing or your memory."

With a soft laugh, Remus slid his hand slowly down her back enjoying the feel of the rich fabric and the living woman beneath his fingertips. "Hmmm…well, I don't think there's really much wrong with either, but I won't argue the point. I'll simply make my request again. Will you teach me how to dance, Minerva?"

With a pause before answering, she slipped her hand behind his body to hold his back securely as well, pressing her fingertips into the taut muscles ever so slightly.

"This is silly. There isn't any music, and I don't have a wireless. I can't teach you to dance without music." She tilted her head and gave him a slightly chiding smile.

With solemn eyes, he nodded and released her hand, placing his own lightly against her cheek. "Then perhaps you could teach me something else…" he whispered softly. Without waiting for a response, he bent slightly, though they were much of a height, and kissed her on her slightly parted lips. It was a soft and gentle kiss, and he could feel her hesitancy in returning it.

When he pulled back, she immediately looked down and away from him. He let the knuckles of his hand lightly brush against her downcast cheek as he spoke quietly. "When we were in the garden, you said that I seemed alone…that I'd lost so much. I have a feeling that the same thing is true for you as well. Perhaps, at least for tonight, we could be there for each other in a way that no one else has been for a very long time."

Slowly she raised doubtful eyes to his, though she knew that this same thought had teased her from the back of her mind when she'd originally invited him up for dinner. Now that he stood here before her, so open and willing, all she could think about was how young he seemed, and how inappropriate a union between them would be.

"Remus…I was your teacher. I'm so much older than you. Are you sure that you want…" Her voice trailed off, and she just stared at him with a hint of longing in her eyes.

He smiled tenderly at her and an echo of that longing shown in his own eyes. "The operative word is "was", Minerva. You haven't been my teacher for many many years, and yes, I do want you…very much."

His hand caressed her hair, and he drew a finger down along her cheek and slowly outlined her lips, making them tingle.

"However, if you'd really prefer to simply have another glass of wine and spend the remainder of the evening sitting on the sofa talking about whatever comes to mind, I won't argue with you. I'm grateful for your company, and I've enjoyed the time that I've spent with you today more than any I've spent with anyone for as long as I can remember."

Still she found herself hesitating, suspended between what she longed for and what she felt she should do. As she opened her mouth once more, he gently pressed a finger to her lips to still her words aborning.

"Before you speak, I want you to do something for me."

Slowly she nodded, and he removed his hand.

"Don't think about tomorrow or what anyone else might think proper…just think about the two of us, right here and now…and what you truly want to do…for yourself. Then, for once in your life, give yourself permission to do it."

Time held itself suspended for a moment as they simply stared at one another, drinking in the depth of longing that spilled outward from deep within. Then, with a slight gasp, she threw her arms around his neck and drew him firmly against her, pulling him into a kiss much deeper and more passionate than the one they'd shared a moment before.

His arms slid more securely around her slender form and molded her body to his allowing no hint of space between them as they both met in perfect accord. Minerva shivered at the intensity of the embrace. No one had held her with such desire in a very long time.

As he finally released her lips to gasp for air, he laughed low in his throat and kissed her forehead…her cheeks…the tip of her finely pointed nose…then as she laughed in return, he pressed his lips to the crook of her neck, and sucked on the soft flesh with a fierce hunger that turned her laughter to a deep throaty moan. Her body arched against his, pressing itself as tightly against him as it was possible to get.

"Minerva," he whispered huskily against her skin. "As lovely as this gown looks on you, I suddenly have a tremendous urge to see you without it."

A smile crossed her face as she realized that she'd been thinking much the same thing about him. Though a faint shiver of doubt coursed through her at the same time, to cool her ardor slightly.

"You do realize that gravity and time haven't exactly left me at my very best, I hope," she murmured low against his shoulder with a tone that teased, though the meaning behind her soft words was very serious. This was the moment where he'd truly have to accept that he wouldn't be making love to a thirty year old woman. Though she'd always kept herself in good shape, she had no illusions that she could pass for thirty or even fifty ever again.

He met her slightly shadowed eyes with no hesitation. "I know. I'm not exactly a perfect specimen myself you know. Werewolves tend to need to chew and claw under the influence of the full moon, in the absence of other prey, that instinct is turned inward. You'll see…if you're willing." Now it was his eyes that held the concern, and she tried to banish it with a soft kiss.

Then without another word, she took him by the hand and led him into her bedroom.

Low slanting light bathed the room in golden brilliance as the last rays of the summer sun set fire to the deep green draperies and gilded the twisted mahogany posts of the large beckoning bed.

Once inside the room, Remus took the lead and pulled her over to the bed and pressed her down to sit on its side. Then he sat himself down behind her. As she turned her head to see him, curious as to why he didn't face her, she could feel his questing fingers begin to pull the pins from her hair one by one.

"All day long, all I've really wanted to do was run my fingers through your hair," he murmured quietly, while he made quick work of releasing her imprisoned locks from bondage. Once free of restraint he spread it all out across her back like a carpet of ebony lit from without by shimmering sparkles of gold. Gently he gathered it up in handfuls and pressed it to his face, inhaling the sweet smell of lilac that permeated the soft mass.

"You have the most beautiful hair…you do know that, don't you?" he whispered, as he stroked it gently, allowing it to slip smoothly through his long fingers as he played with its strands.

She let a pleased smile play over her features as she enjoyed the feeling of his fingers sliding through her hair. "Yes, it can be awfully heavy and difficult to manage, but I'm well aware that it's my best feature, for all that I need to keep it bound up most of the time."

"Ah, but that's part of the mystique. I doubt that I'd have found it half so enticing if I'd been able to see it swinging free at will. Releasing it from its pins was half of the allure, I assure you." He chuckled softly and she shivered as the sound swept through her like a cool breeze raising the hair on the back of her arms.

His fingers ceased playing with her hair, gathered the fragrant mass together, and laid it gently over one of her shoulders. Then before she could question him as to his intent, he began unfastening her gown making short work of the buttons and hooks that held the cloth together.

As he began to ease the soft fabric down over her shoulders, he bent over and kissed the exposed flesh, saying softly, "As for it being your best feature, I'd say the verdict was still out on that one. There are too many other features that I still have to explore before I can make a decision there."

She shivered as he slipped her arms out of the sleeves of the dress and pulled her back against him letting his mouth continue to taste the flesh along her shoulders and the top of her arms. With a sigh, she let him turn her body in his arms and lay her down on the bed to slide the gown off and drape it over a nearby chair.

"So I'm to let you rate what feature you judge to be my best, am I?" she said softly as he slipped off her shoes and ran his fingers up the sides of her legs lifting the soft white shift as he moved upward seeking the edges of the stockings that encased her legs in sheer silk and kept them from the warmth of his touch.

His eyes sparkled with mischief as he looked down at her. "Well, your hair is still definitely in the running, but I think it's going to slip in the standings next to your legs."

Surprised she lifted herself up on her elbows and raised incredulous eyebrows. "My legs? Remus, no one has ever complimented me on my legs before, I assure you."

"Then all of your previous lovers must have been struck dumb at the sight of them. Most people wouldn't notice, I suppose, with the long enveloping skirts that you always wear, but Minerva, take it from me…you have lovely legs. Long, shapely, smooth to the touch."

His questing fingers found the tops of her stockings as he extolled her virtues and slowly he began to slide them down and off, tossing them carelessly aside in favor of once more sliding warm hands up the smooth flesh of her calves and thighs moving gently from the outside to a more intimate touch on the inside of her thighs, stroking and caressing the fragile skin softly with his fingertips, and causing her heart to begin beating at a much higher rate than normal.

Minerva smiled up at the man who loomed so fascinatingly above her and reached out a hand to pull him down atop her. Then she rolled him onto his back as she kissed him deeply, finally pulling back to suck gently on his bottom lip and nibble at it with sharp teeth. "So far all this play has been far too one sided. If you can strip the clothing from my body and be so forward as to rate my personal features, then I think turnabout is only fair, don't you?"

The smile that lit Remus' face glowed from ear to ear. "Oh, absolutely. Why should I have all the fun? Please…strip away."

"All right, I will." She smiled in return and then paused to remove her glasses and set them aside before beginning to unfasten his robes and wrestle with removing them from his body while he lay there and watched in fascination as, unbeknownst to her, the strap of her shift slid lower and lower down her arm, revealing more and more enticing glimpses of the breast beneath the light garment.

Finally with a slightly frustrated huff, she sat back on her heels and stared down at him solemnly. "I'm afraid this isn't going to work. I simply can't manage to remove your garments with you lying there like a beached whale. You're going to have to help me…at least a little."

"A whale, am I?" He smiled but his smile held more hint of desire than of teasing as the look in his eyes changed from playful to hungry in an instant. An answering stab of sudden need drove deeply into her as well as the two of them stared unspeaking at one another, frozen in place, half clad on the bed.

"I think I have a better solution," he spoke softly as he removed his wand from the pocket of the robe that he still mostly wore and spoke the standard removal spell over them both. Instantly their clothing was whisked from their bodies to appear in a neatly folded pile on the floor near the bed.

A gasp was wrenched from Minerva at the suddenness of the disrobing. She only got a brief glimpse of the hard male body beneath her before she was crushed firmly against it and time stretched out its arms and pulled her in. Minutes slipped away unnoticed as newly exposed skin was explored thoroughly in every possible manner.

Scars were traced with delicate fingers; orbs of tender flesh were kissed and caressed with loving care. Lips were pressed to every inch of available skin and souls were lifted to new heights of ecstasy as two people found solace and caring within the deeply hidden parts of each other.

Much later in the comfort of the dim bedroom, with the soft light of the waning moon gifting everything with its bright touch, Remus tightened his arms around the sleeping woman within his grasp and nuzzled her neck softly.

A soft sigh of contentment escaped from her as he rubbed his slightly bristly chin against the cool smoothness of her hair and marveled at being here in this bed together.

Her low voice took him by surprise, and he turned away from the uncurtained window to look down into her softly smiling face.

"That was wonderful you know."

His eyes smiled into hers. "Yes. It was."

Sensuously she stretched her body out along his like the cat she often became and grinned impishly. "So…what's my best feature?"

A low laugh escaped his lips and happily he let his fingers begin once more to trace the pleasant contours of her flesh.

"I suppose I'd have to say your generosity, and your willingness to give so deeply of yourself would probably top the list."

As she shifted around slightly to stare at him in amazement, he grinned. "Of course, your breasts aren't bad either…and those legs…mmmm."

A sharp laugh rent the quiet night and she slapped playfully at his broad chest. "Oh, stop it. I see that my hair has indeed fallen from favor though."

Remus' hand slid down the length of her back and cupped her derriere firmly, pulling her lower body against his as he lowered his head to suck gently on one silver outlined breast.

"Well," he murmured between light kisses. "You can hardly blame me for being swept away by the bounty that I found lurking out of sight behind all that heavy material. You keep your most impressive valuables well hidden, Minerva."

Sliding one leg slowly up along his, she ran a gentle hand through his hair and down over his shoulder and back to rest easily on his own nicely muscled rear end.

"Well hidden indeed, I must admit that it's been quite some time since I brought them out for anyone else to admire and play with."

Remus raised his head from her breast and stared down at her for a moment before leaning over and kissing her softly once more. "Then I'm honoured to be gifted with such treasure. Though I'd have to say that I never would've guessed that they'd lain fallow for long. I can almost imagine you having a string of lovers that stretches from here to Australia. No wonder you were disappointed that your conference was only as far away as Edinburgh."

A playful tone lit her voice as her hand slid around from fondling his backside to slip slowly down over the lightly furred muscles of his chest. "Well, perhaps I do have a string of eager suitors from foreign lands. Simply because it's been a while, doesn't mean that I've forgotten how you know. I think it's rather like riding a broom. Once you really learn…you aren't too likely to forget."

Her caressing hand had gently wended its way down the expanse of his chest by now and was stroking lower to run tantalizing fingers along the once more well hardened length of him, eliciting deep groans of pleasure from his throat. Swiftly he flipped her over onto her back and loomed above her. "Perhaps we should sharpen up our skills together once more then," he whispered huskily.

Reaching up to pull him down on top of her, she answered with a soft sigh, "I think perhaps we should."

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

With a serene smile on her face, Minerva lifted her skirts above her trim ankles and descended the staircase gracefully to greet the two male figures that stood in the entry hall below.

"Welcome back, Albus…Severus."

Both men looked up at her greeting and one of them smiled in return.

"Hello, Minerva. It's good to be back." The Headmaster stated pleasantly in answer. "Did anything much happen here while we were away?"

She paused to think. "Well, Remus stopped by while you were gone. I believe he left a package for you, Albus."

"Yes, I got it, thank you. I was sorry to have missed him, did he stay long?"

"Oh, for a few hours. We had dinner together, which was quite a pleasure."

"Did you throw him a bone then?" The low sneering voice of the Potions master joined the conversation.

Minerva regarded the darker man over the rim of her spectacles. "Actually I laid out a rather nice feast for him, Severus," she stated in a mildly reproving tone.

"Hmmpf," Snape snorted shortly. "I doubt that he appreciated it…though I'm willing to bet he devoured it whole. The man always looks as if he's about to keel over from hunger."

A reminiscent smile teased her lips. "Oh, I rather think he enjoyed it, and yes, he did seem quite eager. I think we were both a little hungry."

Snape glowered at her once more. "Actually I'm surprised that he doesn't spend more time hanging around here. The free food alone should be an enticement."

"Well, perhaps he'll stop by more often now that he knows he's welcome."

Snape snorted once more. "Welcome," he spoke in a tone of disgust. "Speak for yourself, Minerva."

Her smile brightened. "Oh, I am, Severus. I am."


End file.
